# plugdata vs SoundShader

The clearest difference is rating: SoundShader at 5.0 against plugdata's 4.4. SoundShader also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 63%) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 months). plugdata's advantage is ratings volume (17 vs 3) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

SoundShader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: plugdata has 17 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of plugdata's written reviews are positive against 100% of SoundShader's.

plugdata ships an update every 3 months, SoundShader every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | plugdata | SoundShader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plugdata/id6473122351/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soundshader/id6801891815/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **17** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 63.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 147 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 26.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Timothy Schoen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1718448510) | [Andreas Beyer-Bowden](https://appshunter.io/developer/6799174087) |

## What reviewers say

### plugdata

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plugdata/id6473122351)

This app provides a visual programming environment for audio experimentation, prototyping, and education. It allows users to create and run audio patches on their mobile devices, enabling creative sound design on the go.

**Highlights:** Visual programming environment, Audio experimentation, Prototyping, Educational tool, Standalone application, Audio plugins

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### SoundShader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soundshader/id6801891815)

Transform sound into dynamic, colorful light displays. Choose from various visual presets or customize your own to match any audio, from live microphone input to your music library. Optimized for stunning visuals on modern displays.

**Highlights:** Live microphone audio input, Audio file playback with equalizer, Apple Music integration, Eight built-in visual presets, Customizable color and motion, HDR display support, 120Hz ProMotion support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is plugdata free?

plugdata is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SoundShader free?

SoundShader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, plugdata or SoundShader?

SoundShader is rated higher. plugdata averages 4.4 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while SoundShader averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do plugdata or SoundShader have ads?

Neither plugdata nor SoundShader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, plugdata or SoundShader?

plugdata ships an update every 3 months, and SoundShader every 4 days. Most recently, plugdata was updated on October 9, 2026 and SoundShader on September 29, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*